The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Rawalpindi has undertaken crackdowns against two stroke rickshaws and locked 150 rickshaws in different police stations of the city.
The reason for impounding the two stroke vehicles is underscored as a measure to reduce noise and air pollution by officials.Meanwhile. Rickshaw union leader Abdul Hameed Shinwari along with scores of protesters staged a protest against crackdown on on Murree Road. The protesters were carrying placards inscribed with slogans against the operation. The protestors alleged that RTA is forcing them to install new four stroke engines of a specific brand which are not only of a bad quality but also very expensive. The operation would leave thousands of poor rickshaw drivers without employment, they complained.
Rickshaw union office bearers threatened to seize RTA office if operation against two stroke rickshaws is not called off immediately.
Per statistics, around 4,000 two stroke registered rickshaws are plying on the roads of Rawalpindi city in sheer defiance of anti environmental pollution norms. However, manufacturing of these rickshaws was stopped from January 2007 while the Punjab government also imposed a ban on these vehicles in 2007. .
National and provincial Govt. should arrangement for two stroke rickshaw drivers and facilitate to exchange engines four stroke in place of two stroke engine as early as possible, stopped crackdown against rickshaw Drivers.
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